FT090326

#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE

Vol. 25 No. 38	Thursday September 3, 2026

Air Cargo Conference Frankfurt, Dagmar Hanau, Monica Di Palo, Roma Habte, Michael Rodriguez, Emrah Sanal

     Today September 3, 2026, the 11th Air Cargo Conference concluded its final day at the Congress Center at Messe Frankfurt.
     The Air Cargo Community in Frankfurt reportedly gathered about 400 attendees at the event.
     Two-day panel topics included the usual suspects discussing artificial intelligence (AI), health overall of the supply chain, digital transformation and more
     But at FRA where the best is still the wurst the 11th Annual Cargo Conference once again was a great meeting ground for the local consortium to rub elbows, compare notes and enjoy some hours of unbridled gemütlichkeit.
     Attracting youth to air cargo, Riege Software gave three lucky young air cargo aspirants free tickets to the conference, who in addition to getting a presentation by Riege, could hear about all the exciting new developments in air cargo and interact with attendees and speakers. What a great opportunity. Thanks Riege.
     The conference showcased product focus (Innovation Stage) panel discussions, e-Commerce and of course, awards.
     ATC, the great global GSSA based at Frankfurt in Cargo City Süd hosted breakfast on Thursday that for us has become a highlight of this event.
     Here the always lovely and vivacious Dagmar Hanau, ATC Group Marketing Manager portrays a spirited high that lifted all spirits the concluding day at this annual gathering.

Meanwhile In Korea . . .

     At ATC Aviation Services AG the best surprise are no surprises.
     Ingo Zimmer is pictured with ATC Team Korea during a visit recently.
     The always enthusiastic CEO Zimmer was out on the hustings in customer country, meeting friends and colleagues with word up why Frankfurt-based ATC continues as the premier general sales and services agent (GSSA) in the world today.
     “As leading Cargo GSSA led by the experience and expertise of our carefully selected team of top air cargo management specialists since 1971, ATC has expanded our organization and grown our business across the globe,” Ingo declared.
     “The ATC approach includes outreach to engage with ATC service partners, keeping personal contact via our offices just like this totally professional Korean Team well equipped to deliver superior, no excuses air cargo product, that operates up-close and personal every time.
     “Everybody knows what to expect,” Ingo declared.
     “The best surprise we offer our partners in shipping are no surprises.
     “With a full menu of support services and the best people on the ground more and more leading airlines around the world continue to choose ATC Aviation Services as their preferred GSA/GSSA partner.
     "We know that the satisfaction of our partners, our customers, our employees, and our investors is the cornerstone to successful, sustainable, and profitable business growth.
     “We are very proud of our customer’s faith and grateful for the stellar performance of our great ATC Team in Korea.”
     Looking ahead, The International Air Cargo Association TIACA Air Cargo Forum 2026 will see ATC situate at Stand 543 B.
     More in Miami, Florida, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, from October 26–29, 2026.

India Delhi Transshipment Excellence Center, K Ram Mohan Naidu, Ramesh Mamidala, Sanjeev Edward

     India is moving to make its airports more competitive as air cargo transit hubs, expanding a transshipment network after a pilot project demonstrated that removing mandatory re-screening can cut cargo transit times dramatically.
Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on August 19 launched the scaled-up phase of the program at Delhi International Airport's Transshipment Excellence Centre (TEC), adding Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad as domestic origin stations and London and Copenhagen as international destinations.
     The expansion follows a proof of concept on the Chennai–Delhi–Frankfurt route, launched on June 20 with Air India operating the service end-to-end. Around 280 tonnes of cargo has been transshipped through the Delhi facility since the pilot began. Average end-to-end transit time fell from approximately 60 hours to 20 hours, while aircraft capacity utilization rose from 75 percent to almost 100 percent.
     The key regulatory change is the removal of mandatory re-screening for eligible secured transshipment cargo at the transit airport. Instead, cargo can move through dedicated Transfer Cargo Security Hold Areas (TCSHAs), subject to security safeguards.
     The move follows after a revised framework was issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in July 2025. Addendum-II to AVSEC Circular No. 6/2024 prescribing the security requirements for Secured Transshipment Cargo to be moved through TCSHAs without re-screening.
     The objective is to do away with a procedural bottleneck without compromising cargo security. In the past cargo changing flights could be subject to a further screening process at the transit airport, adding time, handling requirements and cost. For time-sensitive shipments, the additional process could erode the commercial logic of routing cargo through India rather than through established regional hubs.
     The pilot indicates the scale of the potential improvement. The Ministry expects Air India's monthly cargo carriage on the selected routes to increase from 1,763 metric tonnes to 3,183 tonnes as the expanded network is implemented — an increase of nearly 80 percent.
     Naidu said the immediate focus remains on domestic-to-international transshipment, but the government's larger objective is to establish India as a global cargo transshipment hub by exploiting its geographical position between eastern and western markets.
     The next phase is expected to extend the framework to international-to-international and international-to-domestic cargo movements. The government is also attempting to remove friction beyond security screening.
     In April 2025, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) waived the transshipment permit fee and introduced simplified procedures for the temporary import of unit load devices. Air carriers and console agents can temporarily import ULDs outside customs areas under a continuity bond, while online filing of transshipment applications through ICEGATE has reduced the need for physical interaction with cargo offices.
     The measures form part of a broader effort to develop Indian airports as transit hubs. Naidu said the government was applying lessons from the development of passenger hub-and-spoke operations to air cargo.
     That strategy is significant because India has historically been stronger as a cargo origin and destination market than as a transit point. Cargo generated in India's manufacturing centres, pharmaceutical industry, agricultural sector and growing electronics ecosystem frequently moves through established hubs elsewhere in Asia and the Middle East.
     A functioning domestic-to-international transshipment network could change that equation by allowing cargo originating in Indian cities to be consolidated at an Indian hub and transferred to international services without undergoing unnecessary reprocessing.
     Delhi is currently at the center of the experiment. DIAL's TEC provides the dedicated infrastructure, while Air India has supplied the initial operating network. BCAS, CISF, Customs and other stakeholders have been involved in implementing the framework.
     The government now plans to add more domestic origin stations and international destinations in the coming months. The challenge will be to translate the pilot’s results into a commercially viable network. India’s geographical position gives it a natural advantage, but competing hubs have spent decades building dense international schedules, sophisticated cargo infrastructure and predictable transfer processes. Regulatory reform can remove a barrier; it cannot by itself create the flight connectivity needed to sustain a global hub.
     The early evidence, however, is encouraging. A reduction in transit time from 60 hours to 20 hours demonstrates what can happen when cargo is allowed to retain its security status through a controlled transfer process.
     For India, the ambition is no longer simply to handle more cargo. It is to make that cargo stop — and move on — in India.
Tirthankar Ghosh

Patrick Radtke, Taylor Toomey, Adam Turkis

     It’s always energizing to see what happens when a sales leader steps out from behind the screen and goes straight to where the work is happening.
     This week let’s talk about a great example of that: a business trip across the United States by Patrick Radtke, EMO Trans Head of Sales Germany, visiting multiple locations and meeting teams and customers on the ground.
     The route alone says a lot.
     Boston and Hartford up in the Northeast, then down to Atlanta, and over to Houston. That’s not a sightseeing tour. That’s a deliberate effort to be present in key regions, to listen, and to understand what customers and colleagues are experiencing in real time.
     The point here is, that you can learn a lot from reports and dashboards, but you learn different things when you sit across the table from a customer, walk through a local branch, and hear directly from the people operating day-to-day.
     Apparently at EMO Trans Germany being close to customers isn’t just a slogan.
     It’s a practical way to pick up insights you’d otherwise miss, from small process details to big shifts in market needs.
     It’s not only about customer conversations.
     Visits like this are also about working closely with local teams.
     When you spend time in the branches, meet colleagues face to face, and exchange perspectives, collaboration gets stronger.
     People align faster, problems get clarified sooner, and the whole organization feels more connected.
     Getting to know you trips like Patrick’s are a reminder that relationships are built through real contact.
     The value comes from the conversations, the shared context, and the momentum that follows when everyone feels heard and supported.
     So as Patrick’s journey continues, a tip of the hat to the contact, collaboration, and we suppose most of all, continued success on the road, safe travels, and plenty more meaningful conversations and connections along the way.
     Because as the EMO sign declares “Success By Performance” means you don’t mail it in; it’s moments of direct exchange, building understanding and friendships face-to-face, making an organization stronger, more responsive, and better for customers everywhere.
GDA/SSA

Patrik Tschirch, Susanne Klingler-Werner, Christian Riege, Grit Engelbart Michael Hoppe, Felix, Dietmar Focke

Say hello to the 2026 hosts of Air Cargo Conference FRA and the Board of Directors & Management at Air Cargo Community Frankfurt eV.
Pictured from left: Patrik Tschirch (LUG), Susanne Klingler-Werner (UPS SCS), Christian Riege (Riege Software), Grit Engelbart (MD, ACCF), Michael Hoppe (BARIG), Felix Toepsch (CEO of ACCF), Dietmar Focke (Fraport Airport).
Guenter Mosler Not pictured but held by all in high esteem is Board Member Frank Bauer, Lufthansa Cargo COO. Also lest we forget, we fondly remember Air Cargo Germany Club co-founder, the late,“Man In the Hat” Günter Mosler. GüMo pioneered our exclusive world air cargo coverage from FRA Cargo from 1980 -2010.
GDA/SSA

If You Missed Any Of The Previous 3 Issues Of FlyingTypers Access complete issue by clicking on issue icon or Access specific articles by clicking on article title
Vol. 25 No. 35 Jan Krems Retiring, Chris Busch Appointed India's Invisible Airline Chuckles for August 13, 2026 Rick Elieson—What Is Great Leadership?	Vol. 25 No. 36 FIATA Celebrates 100 Years In October PayCargo Accelerates Menzies Quick Pay Happy National Aviation Day Orville	Vol. 25 No. 37 Logistics Mourns Klaus Michael Kuehne QR Cargo To HEL And Back India Reimagined: Global Transshipment Hub Heartline Calling For Colombia

Publisher-Geoffrey Arend • Managing Editor-Flossie Arend • Editor Emeritus-Richard Malkin
Senior Contributing Editor/Special Commentaries-Marco Sorgetti • Special Commentaries Editor-Bob Rogers
Special Assignments-Sabiha Arend, Emily Arend • Film Editor-Ralph Arend • Photo Editor-Anthony Atamanuik

Send comments and news to geoffrey@aircargonews.co
Opinions and comments expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher but remain solely those of the author(s).
FlyingTypers reserves the right to edit all submissions for length and content. All photos and written material submitted to this publication become the property of FlyingTypers Media.
Copyright ©2026 FTMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
More@ www.aircargonews.com

100% Green